Biography: Ann Biersteker joined the African Studies Center in 2013. She coordinates activities related to MSU’s work as a U.S. Department of Education National Resource Center for African Studies and as an institution that awards Foreign Language and Area Studies fellowships. She also manages the “Eye on Africa” seminar series and teaches a course on Swahili literature. Ann has a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in African languages and literature. She has published two books on Swahili poetry and a widely used Swahili textbook as well as a wide range of articles on African literature.

Ann has been awarded three U.S. Department of Education International Research and Studies awards, five U.S. Department of Education Group Projects Abroad awards, and she was awarded a Fulbright-Hays Senior Scholar Research Abroad Award and a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Award.